Industry News

• Interstate 95 in N.C. could undergo $4.4B toll transformation
  North Carolina wants to widen Interstate 95 to at least six lanes and make it a tollway to help finance the $4.4 billion project. "Basically, tolling is a way we can advance projects we couldn't advance under traditional financing," said Jim Trogdon, chief operating officer of the state's Department of Transportation. The project is waiting for federal approval. The Fayetteville Observer (N.C.) (2/5)     

• Report says engineers at fault for tunnel collapse in Quebec
  An investigative report into the collapse of a wall of the Ville-Marie Expressway tunnel in Quebec last year alleges that engineers' work plans and specifications were "inappropriate" and "didn't conform to industry standards." Quebec Transport Minister Pierre Moreau has filed suit against SNC-Lavalin, Dessau and CIMA+. The Gazette (Montreal) (tiered subscription model) (2/4), The Globe and Mail (Toronto)/The Canadian Press (2/3)     

• $290.1M Inner Belt Bridge work in Ohio continues despite delays
  Construction on the $290.1 million Inner Belt Bridge in Cleveland is more than a month behind schedule, but officials are pleased with the $135 million of work so far, including four of the bridge's 14 supports. Record heavy rainfall, availability of fabricated steel and extended concrete curing times have all contributed to delays. The span will be 12 stories tall and 4,000 feet long when completed late next year. The Plain Dealer (Cleveland) (2/5)     

• VA's construction of new national cemetery under way in La.
  The Department of Veterans Affairs has broken ground on the new Louisiana National Cemetery near Zachary, La. The first phase of construction will consist of placing 2,500 concrete crypts in the ground of the 17-acre area. The second phase of construction will consist of an administration building, a committal service shelter, a columbarium for 1,000 cremated remains and public assembly area, which is scheduled for completion by April 2013. The Advocate (Baton Rouge, La.) (2/5)     

• Other News

• 80-acre mixed-use development project in Mass. will create 1,000 construction jobs
  The Boston Globe (tiered subscription model) (2/5)     

• Plans advance for Israel's tallest skyscraper, valued at $268M
  Ha'aretz (Tel Aviv, Israel) (2/2)     

Technology & Trends

• BIM: A revolutionary tool
  Building information modeling revolutionizes the industry, says Len Rodrigues, architect and senior planner at Stantec. "I think of it as a surrogate for the actual building," he adds. "It allows us to build a virtual building with everything modeled, the street access, architecture, mechanical." Journal of Commerce (Canada) (2/5)     

Sustainability & Green Building

Leadership & HR

• How to give employees feedback they can use
  Research shows that employees strongly desire performance assessments, especially millennials who have been conditioned to expect constant feedback, says Rypple's Nick Stein. Feedback is most effective when it's treated as an ongoing conversation between employees and their managers instead of a once-a-year event, Stein says. EblinGroup.com/Next Level Blog (2/2)     

Hot Topics

Top five news stories selected by Concrete SmartBrief readers in the past week.

• Cargo ship crash collapses portion of Ky. bridge (The Daily Mail (London))

• Steel deck gives way; workers tumble 30 feet (The Cincinnati Enquirer)

• Concrete slab drops from Australian skyscraper due to adhesive failure (The Age (Melbourne, Australia))

• Revolutionary paint hardens like cement, conducts electricity (The Engineer (U.K.))

• Man-made Khazar Islands will cost $100B to build, develop (Azeri-Press Agency (Azerbaijan))

• Results based on number of times each story was clicked by readers.

Policy Watch

• GOP senators to support legal battle over CFPB, NLRB appointments
  Almost 40 Republican senators say they will sign a friend-of-the-court brief to support a court challenge to President Barack Obama's recess appointments, including Consumer Financial Protection Bureau Director Richard Cordray. The challenge also will include three appointments to the National Labor Relations Board, although it's not been specified which court case will be joined. Politico (Washington, D.C.) (2/3)     

Featured Content

ACI News

• Networking events at the ACI Spring 2012 Convention
  Developing a strong professional network plays a vital role in advancing your career. Use the ACI Spring 2012 Convention as a platform to network and build relationships with 1,400+ concrete professionals from every facet of the concrete industry. Networking events include the Convention #1 Breakfast, Student and Young Professional Networking Event, Opening Reception, Women in ACI Reception, Concrete Mixer at Gilley's Dallas, and many more.     

• ACI/CRSI launch Adhesive Anchor Installer Certification program
  ACI and the Concrete Reinforcing Steel Institute have announced the launch of the new Adhesive Anchor Installer Certification program. Adhesive Anchor Installer Certification is a new requirement in ACI 318-11, Building Code Requirements for Structural Concrete. Learn more.     

SmartQuote

He who is afraid to ask is ashamed of learning." --Danish proverb